Geelong

Geelong, a city of Victoria, is picturesquely situated on the south side of Corio Bay, 45 miles SW. of Melbourne by rail. It is well laid out, abounds in attractive shops, and has some handsome buildings. The river Barwon forms the southern boundary of the city, and 3 miles farther spreads into the Connewarre Lakes, falling into the sea at Point Flinders. The gold discoveries in 1851 added to the prosperity of Geelong, which had been incorporated as a town in 1849, and became a principal seat of the wool trade—the first woolen mill in Victoria being erected in Geelong. Alongside of the railway jetty the largest ships can load and discharge, and there are three other jetties for smaller vessels. Through the bar at the entrance to Corio Bay a channel has been dredged for the convenience of steamer traffic. The district is exceedingly fertile; the Barrabool Hills on the west bank of the Barwon are covered with farms and orchards, but the vineyards have been destroyed under the Phylloxera Act. Lime-stone and a kind of marble are found in the neighbourhood. There are various industries carried on, especially the manufacture of woolen cloths and paper, meat-preserving, tanning, rope-making, fishing, &c. The Exhibition Hall and general produce exchange, theatre, and assembly rooms combined, stands in the market-square. The city is lighted with gas; is supplied with water from Stony Creek reservoirs and the river Moorabool; and has two parks, botanical gardens, government buildings, a town-hall, a new post-office (1889), an excellent hospital, a chamber of commerce, mechanics' institute, grammar-school, and five newspapers. Corio Bay is a favourite bathing-resort; and on the eastern boundary of the town are extensive limestone quarries. Pop., including the suburbs, (1871) 22,618; (1891) 24,283, of whom 10,000 were within the municipal boundary.